The Japanese Island Known For An Especially Sweet Onion

Nestled between the Japanese islands of Honshu and Shikoku, the island of Awaji (or Awajishima) has more than a few claims to fame. According to the Shinto creation myth, Awaji was the first of Japan's islands created by the deities Izanagi and Izanami. It's connected to Kobe, one of Japan's largest cities (as well as what Wagyu cousin Kobe beef is named after), via the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the second-longest suspension bridge in the world. It also boasts several buildings from the legendary architect Tadao Ando. And it grows a whole bunch of truly delicious, irresistibly sweet onions.

Awajishima isn't Japan's biggest onion producer (that would be Hokkaido, the northernmost island of the Japanese archipelago), but it's a solid second. The island is an ideal growing environment for the bulbs, with plenty of sunlight and rich soil, fed from minerals blown in from the ocean water, that lends the onions their trademark sweetness. Although Awaji has always been a reliable source for Japanese agriculture, the onion wasn't introduced to the area until the late 19th century, a time of rapid modernization for the previously hermetic nation. Once it arrived, though, it quickly became a prized commodity and a central part of the island's tourism.

Unfortunately, you're not likely to find the Awaji onion stocked in your local supermarket. That said, the Southern-grown Vidalia onion, the best choice for the TikTok-approved onion boil, has similar levels of sweetness, so it's not like you're totally deprived of allium goodness. If you do make the trek to Japan for your onion fix, however, you'll be glad to know that there are plenty of related activities for you to enjoy. Most eye-catching of all is the "Ottamanegi," a giant sculpture of an onion on a cliff over the sea; as you can imagine, it's a popular photo op.

But that's only the start of your potential onion excursion. Do you want to visit an onion museum? Knock yourself out. In the mood for onion-flavored ice cream? Why not. Want to wear a little onion wig while you pose in front of the giant onion statue? Go ahead. Do you want to operate an onion claw machine where you can pick real onions? The world is your onion! (Er, oyster. Sorry, we got a little carried away with the onions, happens to the best of us.) While it may be a bit of a schlep to Awaji, especially when you have some excellent white, red, and yellow onions to choose from at home, it may very well be worth it.